Support Our Miners Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9556 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9556

 To amend the Black Lung Benefits Act to provide adequate benefits for
   miners suffering from black lung disease, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 30, 2026

 Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania (for herself, Mr. Deluzio, and Mr. McGarvey)
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
                        Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 To amend the Black Lung Benefits Act to provide adequate benefits for
   miners suffering from black lung disease, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Support Our Miners Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Tens of thousands of coal miners across the country are
        disabled by, or have died from, black lung disease. Such miners
        and their families rely on black lung benefits as provided
        under section 412 of the Black Lung Benefits Act (30 U.S.C.
        922) to pay for their healthcare and to provide monthly
        compensation.
            (2) When section 412 of the Black Lung Benefits Act (30
        U.S.C. 922) was enacted in 1969, a miner received about $144.50
        per month to help support their cost of living, equating to
        about $1,252.53 annually in today's currency, adjusting for
        inflation.
            (3) The benefit rate, as established in 1969, has not kept
        up with the cost of living. Today, miners receive nearly 40
        percent less than the value of the original amount adjusting
        for inflation.

SEC. 3. ADEQUATE BENEFITS FOR MINERS.

    Section 412(a) of the Black Lung Benefits Act (30 U.S.C. 922(a)(1))
is amended in the first paragraph--
            (1) by striking ``during the disability'' and inserting
        ``during the disability:'';
            (2) by striking ``at a rate'' and inserting the following:
                    ``(A) For any calendar year preceding 2026, at a
                rate''; and
            (3) by striking ``step 1.'' and inserting ``step 1.
                    ``(B) For calendar year 2026, for each month after
                the date of enactment of the Support Our Miners Act for
                which benefits are payable to such miner, at a monthly
                pay rate equal to the quotient of--
                            ``(i) $15,030, and
                            ``(ii) 12.
                    ``(C) For calendar year 2027 and each succeeding
                calendar year--
                            ``(i) at an annual rate equal to the
                        product of--
                                    ``(I)(aa) for calendar 2027,
                                $15,030; or
                                    ``(bb) for a calendar year after
                                calendar year 2027, the annual rate
                                determined under this subparagraph for
                                the calendar year immediately preceding
                                the calendar year for which the
                                determination is being made under this
                                subparagraph, and
                                    ``(II) the greater of one or the
                                ratio of--
                                            ``(aa) the Consumer Price
                                        Index for Urban Wage Earners
                                        and Clerical Workers, as
                                        published by the Bureau of
                                        Labor Statistics, for the
                                        calendar year immediately
                                        preceding the calendar year for
                                        which the determination is
                                        being made under this
                                        subparagraph; to
                                            ``(bb) such Consumer Price
                                        Index for the second calendar
                                        year preceding the calendar
                                        year for which the
                                        determination is being made
                                        under this subparagraph; and
                            ``(ii) at a monthly rate equal to the
                        quotient of--
                                    ``(I) the annual rate determined
                                under clause (i) for the calendar year
                                for which the determination is being
                                made under this subparagraph; and
                                    ``(II) 12.''.
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